Tim Russert's interviews are his legacy, says historian Doris Kearns Goodwin

NBC's Tim Russert was known for grilling guests on NBC's "Meet the Press" without regard to party affiliation or standing in the polls. During the Bush administration, every major Cabinet official was on the show and some -- like Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- were frequent guests.

At today's memorial service at the Kennedy Center, which Rice attended, historian Doris Kearns Goodwin said the show will be invaluable to future historians. "They will not only be able to read" the transcripts, she said, but watch the video and judge the character of the officials who responded.

She said Russert always marveled that political figures of the day hated to acknowledge -- even after seeing his exhumed quotes of things they had said in the past -- that they had changed their minds. And she relayed a story about Abraham Lincoln, one of her recent subjects, saying that he always explained he'd changed his mind with the comment that he hoped he was smarter today than he had been yesterday.

-- Johanna Neuman

Photo Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Comments

[Jeff]

Oh yeah, Russert really "grilled" them, all right. Let's see, how many years did it take before he stopped parroting without question the party line about "weapons of mass destruction" in Iraq? In fact, like his mainstream media colleagues, Russert was a cheerleader for the Iraq war (and generally a shill for the political establishment), just another multimillionaire talking head trying to get the American public to swallow a bunch of lies about the Iraq war and much else.

[Steve Bonser]

So that we can all enjoy the legacy of Mr. Russert at its finest, I would love to see a list of the toughest questions he had asked of Bush, Cheney and other officials in the Bush administration. I don't recall Mr. Russert being particularly challenging toward many of the so-called leaders who have failed us so miserably over the past seven or so years. Am I missing something here?

[photty]

Im sorry, but I cant drum up any emotion for the loss of Tim...not that I harbor any ill will...its just that I think he was very bland...a bit like Larry King. I would like to have interviewers who are invisible as personalities, so that you get news that was true, and not as presented by this or that expensive personality. I hope this adulation will soon pass.

[Leroy]

Settle down commentators. Watch his interviews of Bush and Cheney... You're ill informed.

[JGNY]

What garbage, you posters clearly have no clue and make up your misinformation. Russert carried no water for Bush or anyone else. He took the opposite side and grilled these jerkoffs like no tomorrow. The assorted bunch of politicians make their lifes work a parody of mistruths. I could care less if interviewed left or right politicos, the nature of substance remained the same. Empty bags of wind telling you, the public what to believe. Calling people a lair to their face and atempting to secure a negative enviroment is not possible in any interview format if you wish to be around the week. You,as a socalled intelligent viewer must manage the information and decide who is truthful yourself and vote your conscience. As with the current Oil garbage being spewed by the left. Any fool who thinks that less production of oil is bad for the nation, should be removed from office and be taught basic econo 101. Tim would have grilled the left leaners just as he would have grilled the right. R.I.P

[Steve Bonser]

I am withholding any judgment of Mr. Russert's legacy. What people of intelligence are saying is, let's not go overboard here. The question remains: where can one find a comprehensive list of the toughest questions Tim had asked over the past 8 years or so? Often when I watched him I recall gritting my teeth wondering why he was giving these corrupt fools a free pass.

Watching Larry King last night and the wake he was presiding over, it really struck me that the media is subconsciously using this fine man's untimely death as a way to cleanse themselves of their sadness and guilt over how journalism has changed and how corporate news has so miserably failed this country. Seriously, it seems like our multi-million anchors and news personalities are absolving themselves and seeing redemption with this emo-fest. Could a psychologist weigh in on this theory?